State Funding A Disgrace

January 30, 2006|By Marty Rubinstein

Forget 65 percent, go for 25th in funding.

In his guest commentary (Jan. 23, some editions), state Rep. Adam Hasner promotes the "65 percent solution" for classroom funding. First Class Education, a think tank, has popularized such a funding mechanism. But in his "65 percent solution," Hasner tells not even half the story. As a Broward School Board member, I'd like to ensure that every classroom gets 65 percent -- or even more, but at the current level of funding from Hasner's own Legislature, that's nothing but a fantasy. What has been proposed in the Legislature does not define "in the classroom." It's a blank slate.

Floridians need to examine the "65 percent solution" with a microscope, and they'll find out that the "solution" cannot possibly do what Hasner claims. In the definition called for by First Class Education, what is not covered are transportation, media services, special education services, before- and after-school programs, student counselors and more. In Hasner's example, "65 percent" does not specify computers at all. His claim for funding 20,000 new teachers does not include raising the remaining salary scale for every other teacher in the state. What it would provide for in that respect is haves and have-nots.

The real problem is that Florida's funding for its public schools ranks 49th out of 50 states. For the fourth-largest state in the union, that's nothing short of a national disgrace.

Despite the rhetoric from the governor and Legislature about billion-dollar increases in funding every year, little of it is even earmarked for the classroom of K-12 schools. Much of those "increases" actually winds up in the coffers of the scholarships and vouchers designed to remove children from public schools.

And just who will pay for the support services that will be shorted by the "65 percent solution?" The "65 percent" proposal is extremely narrow in its scope, and when talking to legislative leaders, we get the answer "Trust us." Yeah. Like we've trusted the Legislature to pay the constitutionally mandated class-size reduction.

The "65 percent solution" is no solution at all. It's just another blatant attempt to further de-fund Florida's public schools and drive Florida's children deeper into educational poverty.

Instead, go for the "25th solution." Bring Florida's funding for public education to 25th out of 50. With that, we'll be able to do everything that Hasner suggests -- and much more! Fund Florida public schools at the level they deserve.